#90's

ITS SPRING!!
The saying is definitely true, "March comes in like a lion, goes out like a lamb." The first official day of Spring was March 21st, but the weather that day was AWFUL! Today being the last day of March, it was 70 degrees most of the day!

I worked all morning, but as soon as I got off, I ran into the beautiful weather! When I got home, I grabbed my camera and snapped as many "Spring" photos as I could. Of course here I sit trying to decide which to post...and I just can't decide. I'M GONNA POST THEM ALL!!

All my #90's - YAY FOR SPRING!!!

(I had to lay down on the ground to get a few of these shots! Haha, I looked ridiculous I'm sure. But it was well worth it.)  Today I was in capri's and flip flops - plus we had dinner with our good friends Dan & Elizabeth then went to get some yummy Cold Stone ice cream!

**Its supposed to snow again in a few days...but I definitely enjoyed what I could today and I'm gonna do it all over again tomorrow! YAY SPRING!!!!!!!!

#89

Well I just woke up from an hour nap... a little random, but wonderful. (Didn't get much sleep last night and I've been exhausted ALL day.)

I didn't do anything exciting today...just a slow Wednesday at work, came home to clean up after my sick puppy, then started to watch American Idol and..... feel asleep. Ha! Apparently tonights Elton John themed evening wasn't too exciting. I'm now WIDE awake from my nap and recapping the Idol show...yeah, not too exciting after all.

Since nothing too exciting happened today, I decided to head outside and take a few snap shots in our yard. We have an older shed in our backyard that I wanted to make my muse for the evening. I started snapping photos left and right - all different angles, colors & lighting. There were quite a few shots I liked best, but I picked the most commercial for my #89. I think I want to print this out and frame in my family room. The colors and exposure would fit right in. What do you think of the photo?

#89 - "Love at Home" (For some reason that sign is hanging on the shed...silly, but special all at the same time.)

#88's

Okay I have multiple pictures for #88. Good news...and sad news.
Which one do you want first?
Well, we'll go with the GOOD NEWS!

Our room mates, Andee & Kelly finally upgraded to a family wagon!! After 10 months of crammed seating in my sisters small Ford Escort, (the twins car seats don't fit well, so the 2 front seats have to be pulled up ALL the way) they finally decided to look for something much bigger. **They just sold Kelly's 2-seater truck yesterday. Now they have an "Crossover" (I guess thats a smaller SUV) that fits the car seats perfectly and the driver/passenger area has much more leg room!! Good for Kelly's longer legs AND their safety. It would have been awful if their airbags went off in that Escort... sad news!

Anyway, so my first #88 is the new member of the Blackstrom household! A PONTIAC TORRENT Congrats Roomies!!!

(Sorry picture was taken at night and I didn't have enough light to get the whole car.)

Okay, now for the SAD NEWS. It breaks my heart as a 'mother,' but I just have to post pictures. My dogs, Lucas & Simon, were left out in the dog run today, like most warmer days, but when Joe got home from work he came upon a very shaken & traumatized Lucas.

In their dog house, they both have a 'doggie bed' and blanket. Well a few weeks ago, I noticed one of my dogs had been chewing on one of the blankets, creating a small whole. Its an old crappy blanket, so I didn't care...let him chew it. I guess Lucas, in his rowdy playing, got his head stuck through the hole. So when Joe got home, he found Lucas out of the dog house, under a bush barely breathing. Joe says he was wet, heart was pounding, shaking and trying hard to breathe/whimper. Joe couldn't get the blanket off because Lucas started panicking as soon as Joe opened the gate. He just picked him up, wrapped in the blanket and came inside to cut it off.

OMG I would have died!!! I would have been crying and panicking myself. Plus, what if the worst had happened....what if he had choked to death??? I can't even think about it without my heart hurting.... My poor puppy was literally suffering and who knows for how long?? Both Joe and I worked all day and our room mates were car shopping all afternoon. So if he was in the backyard yelping in pain, no one would have heard his cries! SAD HUH???? My poor baby.

So here are my sad photos today. Lucas now has this welt all the way around his neck. It only broke through the skin a little...but I'm more than sure he'll make a full recovery. Me on the other hand...I'm scarred. What am I going to do now, just not put blankets back there? How will they stay warm on colder days???

Second #88's - His 'sore' and then the blanket...stupid, stupid blanket. (It's now in the trash!)

Oh, and don't mind creeper Joe peeking through the whole!

#87

I watched my nieces for a little bit this morning. (It was a little early on my day off, but they are hard to say 'no' too.) They were full of smiles and were crawling all over the place, fighting for my attention. While I was playing with Ella, Avie got hurt somehow. They've been bonking, crawling and smacking into things a lot lately and whatever Avie hit, got her good. She got a sore under her eye and it bled a bit. I felt AWFUL! They were in my care, maybe an hour and one got hurt bad enough to bleed!!! She shook it off though and was all smiles as soon as I comforted her.

Their morning power nap came up and I got to rock them both to sleep. Here's my #87 - Both napping, sucking their thumbs and chillin' in their fleece 'footie' pajamas. 

#86

#86 - Bob's Burgers

I don't know what it is about this show, but we LOVE it! The dysfunction in their family, the unique kids and parents who bicker every episode. Hahaha!! Its a great one to watch. Its televised on Sunday nights and we usually miss it, so we DVR it. Tonight, we had about 3 to watch all in a row, along with tonights episode. If you've ever watched it, you'll have to agree, the humor is quite inappropriate, witty and completely bizarre. Tina & Louise are my favorite. But then the mom's voice just cracks me up too!!

#85

The kitchen project is well underway and I have to say I'm completely impressed with all the progress. What I thought would take months, has only taken 3 Saturdays.  (I should knock on wood, because there is still so much more to come.)

Joe and my step-dad Kelly have been working LONG Saturdays and this week, they'll add a Sunday shift. I am proud of the work they've done and the motivation they still have to keep working hard.

I said today on facebook, I literally don't recognize my kitchen/laundry room anymore. They've been knocking out bits of my hallway to make more room for storage closets, plus they have removed a few "drop ceilings" that apparently weren't necessary.

Its going to look great and seeing all thats been done, gets me excited for all the convenience it will bring!

#85 - Here is a lone light switch, just swing and hanging, waiting for its mount. This just proves how "under construction" we are. (Well that and EVERYTHING is covered in dust!!)

#84

Wow, I have the best brother-in-law ever! I was craving a Mr. B's from Beans and Brews today. Even though it was a lousy weather day, it just sound so good & refreshing. An hour into work my craving peaked and I had to facebook about it. My status update read: "A large Mr. B's with whipped cream sounds sooooooo good right now. Who's gonna bring me one?" Then I get a great response from my brother-in-law Jesse, saying that he was thinking of coming for a haircut & he'll bring me one. Sure enough a few hours later I GOT A MR. B'S! Aaaaand it hit the spot!! Thanks Jesse - you're freaking awesome. Freals!

#83 - Ask and ye shall receive!

#83

Happy Thursday ya'll!

Once again my sweet husband wished me a "Happy Thursday" this morning. (See blog #13 for more details on Joe's randomness.)

Well I found out he joined a jewelry-of-the-month club. Haha, more Joe randomness!! This morning not only did I get the sweet message of "Happy Thursday," but I got a gorgeous necklace along with it.

Love you Joe!! #83 - Happy Thursday take 2

#82

#82 - Its a good thing I save my change! 

This is my red jar of loose change. Its sits on top of my dresser and both Joe and I drop any change we have in our pants pockets each day..sometimes there are dollar bills in there; I usually drop my tips in here as well, but they are easier to spend and gone quickly! (For picture sake, I took the bills out. They didn't photograph well.)

Anyway, Joe and I were looking at plans for our kitchen and its already coming up about $1500 more than what we originally planned...plus I desperately want to do our bathroom once the project is done and Joe wants to redo our family room floor.  Projects are constantly added to our "To-Do" list these days and the budget for house projects then also increases!! I guess that's what being a homeowner is all about. Now we just need to organize the "To-Do" list and make sure each project has a priority number. ;)

So yes...I'm saving all my pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters. I'm gonna need it!

#81

I came home from work this evening to find a little surprise waiting for me. My good friend ELDER Nate Manning had written me back! He left for his mission about a month ago and has been preparing for it at the MTC in Provo, Utah. (In his letter, he told me he's headed off to Spain as of tomorrow!!) The next few letters will be via email until he gets a stable address.

I wrote him just a few weeks ago - handwritten and everything! I haven't written a missionary since my friend Travis was serving in Gilbert, CA and that was over 8 years ago. However, I'm excited to get back into the letter writing mode. I'm not a huge religious person, but I'm completely respectful of his decision and I can't wait to hear how successful this adventure will be for him.

Nate is such a great friend to everyone and very popular...so I'm sure there are MANY people writing to him, other than myself. (He probably spends a lot of time just replying to everyone!)  That's why I was super excited when I got home and saw he had written me!!! Made me feel special! :)  (AND AND AND I got pictures!!) I have tomorrow off and I'll make sure to email him, so he has an email waiting as soon as he gets to Spain.


My #80 - The best surprise of the day! My letter from Elder Manning and my stack of pictures! (Oh and a large amount of people call me Red. Just in case you didn't know.)

#80

We got to babysit my nieces tonight. Andee & Kelly took a night off to enjoy dinner with friends and we got to cuddle, wrestle around and round up the little ones! We laid out a blanket full of toys and had a few Disney movies on in the background. I'm not gonna lie - having 2 babies around is quite tough. I'm glad Joe was here, because if I was chasing after one, the other one would get loose. Now that they are crawling...you just can't get them to stay put! Joe and I had to 'man' a baby! Haha. We had a good time though and the girls loved the opening of The Princess and the Frog. Avie was dancing to all the jazz music! Of course Andee & Kel got home before the movie was over...but Joe and I watched it to the end. LOVE that show!! When Ray dies...I cry every time! Aw schucks!

Thanks for letting us play with the girls - it was fun!

#80 - Joe and the girls. All comfortable & cuddled up watching The Princess and the Frog!

#79

Wow its been a crazy couple of days. It can be sooo exhausting!! Today was my 6th day of work this week - technically I wasn't 'working' because I was participating in a "Continuing Education" class, but it still took up 7 hours of my day off. :( Bummer

I came home to a cluttered house. I'm starting to feel the claustrophobia of the chaotic remodel. There is just 'crap' everywhere. I now have a washer and dryer literally sitting right smack in the middle of a room. We now must to maneuver around it just to walk from room to room. Why Joe decided to put it there is beyond me - its incredibly inconvenient. BUT the plumber comes Tuesday and it'll be back in the laundry room and hooked up...just in time for me to start laundry for the week. Yay...  

However tonight ended really nicely. I went to dinner with my family and stayed to visit with my parents for a few hours. Joe decided to stay home. Once I came home, I headed straight into bed to look at my NCAA bracket and read some 'smack talking' emails. My bracket is toast. I still have 3 of my top 4 in, but so many people have scored more points with their brackets, even if my overall pick (Ohio State) pulls through, I'm not winning any bragging rights. I'm at the bottom of the list. :(  Stupid Pittsburgh and Utah State!!!

Anyway, as I sat in bed all cuddled up with my bracket, day planner, cell phone and laptop, I realized after about an hour that I was completely alone. All alone. Joe was watching TV in the other room and both my dogs were with him. I was kind of sad. Reading all these funny emails, planning for the week AND facebook stalking...all by myself. So I decided to whistle, just slightly, and within seconds my Lucas was right at my side. He cuddled up next to me, shared my popcorn and kept me warm. Thanks buddy. Even though Joe was doing something else and I was in my "world," I still had a little companion making me smile.

#79 - My Lucas. (Sorry..cell phone pic.)  I love my pup!

#78

I attended a baby shower for my good friend Elizabeth today. Her little baby girl is due at the end of April and she was spoiled rotten by her friends, family and in-laws.

Happy baby shower day Elizabeth!

#78 - The "Mommy-to-be"

#77

I love being a part of surprises! Normally I stink at keeping secrets, but when I know how awesome the surprise is, I work really hard to keep quiet. Tonight we got to participate in a surprise party for my friend/client. She actually came in to the salon this afternoon for a quick color update and I had to keep my mouth shut the ENTIRE time! It was really hard. Especially when she started asking me about my plans for the evening!!! I had fun playing with her and diverting the conversation...it was like a game. Loved it!! Plus she didn't suspect anything --- I'm so good!

Misti's birthday is actually tomorrow but her husband and mother put together a big surprise dinner for her tonight at La Puente. I was so happy they included me and Joe to come along and it was fun meeting her entire family and her friends!

Thank you Misti for becoming such a great friend. I sure do love having you around. Our 'girl' chats are always a blast - oh and the hair is fun too!!. Happy 40th Birthday!!

#77 - Our invitation to the great surprise!!

#76

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone!

Back story: Two years ago this March, my entire family headed over to California to see our youngest sister, Jessica, compete in the National Drill Competition. We spent I think 5 days out there; fitting in the competition obviously, 3 days at Disneyland, 1 day at Seaworld, the beach and even a day at Universal Studios. Well the day we chose to do Universal Studios, fell on St. Patty's Day. My stepmom Nancy supplied each of us with a green shirt. All the guys shirts matched, the girls matched and then the 3 grandkids matched. I loved it!!! We had a family photo taken outside Universal, plus it was so easy to spot each other when separated! **We do matching shirt day a lot when traveling with my Dad & Nancy. We've not only done numerous matching shirt days on several trips, but we've also done 'plaid short day' once or twice. The guys are good sports...not huge fans of matching with our large group, but they do it with a smile on their face. I sure do love traveling with my family!!!

Anyway, we all still own AND wear those green shirts we wore on that infamous day in Universal Studios. In fact every time I wear that shirt in front of certain members of my family, they tease and ask, "Is it St Patrick's Day?" Or they'll say "Happy St. Patty's Day Erica!" The first few times were funny and we all relived the original experience...but every time gets a little irritating. Its almost come down to me purposely not wearing the shirt when I know I'm going to see my family. Come on guys, I'm not the ONLY one who still wears the shirt...I just apparently wear it more than most. My sister Andee wears hers occasionally and Joe wears his. Of course they also get ridicule, but for some reason its worse when I wear mine. Oh well, at least it'll be a long running inside joke that our family will share for years to come.

With TODAY being St Patrick's Day, I decided it was appropriate to wear that special green shirt. Once I got to work, I took my #76 photo and sent it to parts my family, wishing them a "Happy St. Patrick's Day" and letting them know I'm wearing my shirt with pride and I'm thinking of each of them. Of course I got a few happy comments from Nancy & Jessica; my bro-in-law Jesse (the mastermind behind the ridicule) laughed and told me I was "too legit to quit!"  Here's the photo:

But the BEST response to my photo-message, was this response I got from my sister Kalie:

With a message saying, "I'm wearing mine too. Weird." 

HAHAHAHA! I love my family! Kalie still owns the shirt, as well as myself and we both picked it as our St. Patty's green today. (Andee probably would have worn hers, as well, if she had changed out of her pajamas today.)

I just wanted to give you an insight as to how awesome my family can be. The inside jokes, harmless teasing and unspoken support. LOVE YOU GUYS!

#75

I bite my nails. Not gonna lie. I'm almost 29 years old and I've been a nail biter since before I can remember. Quitting is just not an option for me - tried everything!!!

Anyway, unfortunately will being a habitual nail biter AND a hair stylist, my nails NEVER look nice. Chipped, sore, inflamed, cracked cuticles, stained with color...all of the above! And also since my hands are in water about 75% of my work day, there isn't a nail polish, enamel or acrylic that won't be affected. Because of that, I rarely do anything with my nails. It just isn't worth the money...

UNTIL NOW!! haha, I found this new product (thanks Maddie) that 'sticks' to your nail. They are literally nail stickers! They are nothing like the cheesy 'decal' stickers you stick on top of your polish - they're even stronger! The brand is Sally Hansen and they are called "Salon Effects." You'll find them by the nail polish at your local drugstore. I got mine at Wal-Mart. There are many different kinds, patterns, colors, textures...

They're just so much fun! I've had 2 different kinds on just this week and its only Wednesday!! Well, I put a blue sparkle on, on Sunday to try it out because I didn't know how good it would look or if I was talented enough to apply them correctly. But after once try, I was hooked! 3 days later I went in search of a cute pattern. I'm not sure how 'long' they'll last with working & immersing them in water for so long...but we'll see. I'll keep you posted...

#75 - My super cute nails!!

Please don't mind my 'nubbins.' I know they are small, but now they are cutely decorated!!!

#74

#74 - Heat wave

I wish I could say this was the temperature outside, but...I can't. This was the temperature in my salon today. Okay, well towards the ceiling anyway. 80 degrees!!!

We've been having problems with our heating/air conditioning lately. Its an automated system, so we have no actual control over it. We just have this little outlet on the wall that randomly takes the temperature of the surrounding area and the adjusts accordingly. Well, something must be wrong because its super hot in there and when all the stylists are working, running around, busy days and all blow dryers on...we get a little sweaty. Its gross.

I talked to my supervisory today and she said she will call someone in to take a look at our system. But in the mean time she wanted me to buy a thermometer to get an accurate reading of the standing temperature. Of course AS SOON AS I bought the thermometer, the temperature seemed to cool down. However, after cleaning the top retail shelf and knowing the fact that heat rises, I noticed the extreme temperature up above. So I taped the thermometer to a wall in there center of the salon and about 10 minutes later, I got the reading of 80 degrees. DANG! Too bad that isn't outside...I'd LOVE that result!

Let's hope we get that fixed...and fast.

#73

Tonight is the first night of SPRING BREAK DATE NIGHTS!

This week is Joe's Spring Break and I scheduled myself only day shifts, so we can spend each night together. I've been working real hard lately and it makes me completely exhausted. Plus Joe is obsessed with Call of Duty: Black Ops which consumes most of his free time. Now that he will be out of school for a whole week, we vowed to spend more quality time with each other.

Tonight was great! We got together with my family (minus the family in Disneyland) for dinner at Paradise Bakery, then we headed off to IKEA where we spent WAY too much money!

As you saw on day #19 we now own a gigantic TV. Our current entertainment unit was way to big and bulky so we needed an upgrade. Not only did we purchase a new stand for the TV, but we also purchased some DVD racks. (Which after assembling 2 racks, we've realized we need 2 more! eek!)

#73 - the very strange "picture" book filled with instructions on assembling the DVD racks. Thank you IKEA!!

#72

Another busy day at work ends with a smile on my face. Thank you Joe and the wonderful bowl of ice cream!

Nothing more needs to be said. I mean, simple mind - simple pleasures right?

#70 - The sweetest part of my day. (Please excuse the Styrofoam bowls...our dishwasher is out of commission for the next little while.)

#71

Again, a back story. We {Joe, myself, my sister Andee & her husband Kelly} purchased our home from a wonderful family. It was previously owned by an older couple, Roland and Nelda Jensen. Unfortunately Roland passed away a few years back and Nelda was living in this home alone. Once Nelda's health started to decline, her daughther Judy set her up in a senior home and put this house up for sale. Our group snagged it up AS SOON AS WE COULD and dubbed the house "Villa de Nelda!" (We did hear just over a year ago that Nelda had also passed away.) Once we moved in, we discovered all the wonderful "leave behinds" left over from Roland & Nelda's life together. Some furniture was leftover, the wallpaper was fascinating and the architecture of the downstairs kitchen & bathroom was curious. We have all embraced the wallpaper though! Both Andee and I upgraded one room immediately after moving in (her kitchen and my family room) but a few other rooms have stayed the same. As you've seen, my kitchen is the same...for the time being anyway. Andee's bathroom has been inspired by her wallpaper. She bought linens and decor to accompany the retro look. You can see a bit of it in the background of my #5 picture. Plus mine and Joe's bedroom still has the old school wallpaper as well!

However, my favorite "leave behind" was a hand scripted message hidden away in the closet under the stairs. I can't remember the first time I noticed it or do I know how long it has been there, but I have made sure it stayed intact and in place....Unfortunately with our current kitchen upgrade, this token of history would have been ruined if I hadn't saved it. Just seeing it makes my heart all warm and fuzzy. It's written with sheet rock chalk, so it can be ruined with carelessness. I actually think I want to frame it and either hang it up in my house or send it to Judy (Nelda's daughter) Its a great way to remember the wonderful couple that shared this home for so many years. Yes it is legally owned by the 4 of us now, but I still feel Roland & Nelda's spirits here. How can I not, when every corner I turn, I see a symbol of their life together.

So here is my warm & fuzzy #71. He loved her - whether he wrote it or not. THIS is my favorite "leave behind."

"Roland heart Nelda" - etched on the sheet rock in our closet. 

Now its been cut out in a perfect square for me to display.

#70's

Spring is coming - I just know it! The 'official' first day of Spring isn't for a week or so, but the weather has been so beautiful the past few days and its has me jonesin' for more!!

I bought some gerber daisies to brighten up the salon today. They were just the ticket!! I took them in the backroom for a "photo-shoot" for today's photo. Of course now being home I couldn't decided which one to use for today, so you're gonna get a couple! Sorry, they were just too pretty to pass up - love the colors!!!

HAPPY SPRING EVERYONE! (It'll probably snow this weekend, but I'm going to enjoy it while it lasts...mmmkay?)

My #70's - I got Spring Feeva!

#69's

Its surprising how just hearing a great song or group of songs can change your mood DRASTICALLY!

Today was an awful day. Nothing seemed to go right. This morning before work I was irritable and at work I was busy from 1pm all the way to 9:45pm when I left. Go, go, go. No time for lunch, no time to sit and no time to clean. And with my OCD that's the worst!!! If I don't have time to clean, I'm a whole can of aggravation! Plus I had some difficult clients today that made my day suck, pretty hardcore.

However, in my rage of discontent driving home this evening, I noticed halfway home my mood had started to change. I caught myself singing along to a song and bobbing my head.to another. I'm lucky enough to have a subscription to XM (satellite) radio [thank you Joe] and my favorite station is #8 because its all 80's. 80's music All day, every day. And of course I heard a couple of songs on my way home that made me smile and feel happy!

So here are my pictures for today - #69's - 2 great songs from the 80's that made my night SO MUCH better than my day!

#68

Gas prices right now are R I D I C U L O U S !!

And I hear they are only going to get worse as the summer approaches.

I feel so bad for those with SUV's and trucks. Their gas bills must be crazy high. I get great gas mileage, however I have to drive 30 miles to AND from work each day...so that makes me have to fill up at least every 10-14 days. Ugh!!

#68 - One word...OUCH!

I remember when I first got my license back in 1998, gas was only like $1.09 a gallon and I thought THAT was expense!! I could fill my little Ford Escort with like $14!!! Now here it is 13 years later and my gas bill has almost quadrupled! YIKES!! Guess it could be worse....

#67

My day was insignificant. I had the day off from work and other than catching up with my DVR'd Masterpiece Classic "Any Human Heart," all I did was LAUNDRY!!!

My show was absolutely depressing...and so was my day of nothing. Once Joe got home we decided to head out for a quick dinner than catch a movie. We went to see "Rango." It was a good movie, with great humor, but it was LONG! Just coming up short of 2 hours...most movies are that long these days, but it just kept going and going...dragging on and on. My "blah" mood from the day could have played a factor in my boredom, but I'm pretty sure it was longer than it needed to be.

My #67 - The excitement of my day...and it wasn't even that exciting. Bummer.

#66 - updated

Alright, my internet is working and I've calmed down. Luckily it was late last night, so I'm not sure many of my readers even saw the post [I'm now deleting]. Anyway if you missed it, I'll get you up to speed. Our internet was down for over 8 hours yesterday and I was unable to post my #66 picture on my 66th day! Ugh that was aggravating! First time in over 2 months that I was unable to post!!!!!!!!!

However I am now able to log-on and upload my picture - finally. That is why I've decided to just "edit" this post I posted last night - I want to keep the entry date as still 3/7/11...so 8 months from now when I look back at my chronological entry dates, I will be non-the-wiser! (Sorry a little OCD here.)

ANYWAY! Last night we saw "Tale of Two Cities" at Hale Center Theatre and it was amazing. The actors were really good and a few had some incredible voices. There was A LOT of singing, but their voices were so amazing, I didn't mind. I don't know if you have read or seen this story before...but if so, you'll understand why I just BAWLED through the entire 2nd act. It was a tragic love story and it still makes me sad just thinking about it.

#66 - Proof I witnessed the story of love, loss and the ultimate sacrifice.

#65's

I took a few pictures of the twins again...shocker, I know. They are 9 months now and my parents wanted a new picture to hang up with their other 'grandkid' photos. We just did a quick photo shoot, because we were short on time. (We didn't plan well) I think we're going to try again on Tuesday to get a few more shots and I'll post more then. As I was snapping photos, I got a few 'silly' pictures of both the girls. They are just too cute to not post!!

#65's - Precious little AVIE & ELLA and the funny faces I capture. Look at those bottom teeth!! :)

Avie

Ella

#64

Our kitchen remodel has started. (See story & progress here) Joe started cleaning & clearing out the kitchen today so the process has begun! I am sad to see my small, 1970's kitchen be destroyed. But I'm pumped for the upgrade!!!

As we're cleaning and preparing for demolition, I took a moment to capture our lovely wallpaper. As I sat there looking at it, I thought of sweet Nelda Jensen, the previous homeowner. Her husband built this secondary kitchen to help her cook for large parties and gatherings, so she wouldn't have to walk up and down the stairs so often. Our kitchen was put together with any piece of wood they could find. One of our counter tops was literally a door lying on its side! ;) It was built with lots of love and care. I'm sad we're getting rid of all those pieces of the Jensen history...but it really does need to be upgraded!

I'm excited to see what's to come.

#64 - Our completely out-of-date wall decor!

#63

I don't know why, but I felt like heading over to Kohl's this evening for some retail therapy. Technically I didn't really need it, but the husband was out to a movie with the 'clan,' so I nothing else to do. Bought me a few new tops - on their Special Hour Sale! Plus I needed some perfume as well. Nothing to exciting, but it made my evening a whole lot better.

Now I'm home with popcorn popped, Snapple iced tea in hand and I'm going to watch SNL reruns. (Thanks room-mates for making the house smell like popcorn! I just HAD to have it!!)

#63 - One of my new blouses!! Yay for red AND polka dots!

#62

Today was a great day. Work was nice, made some good money. Had dinner with 2 good friends, love me some girl chat! Plus on my way home, I stopped for ice cream!! Went to Arctic Circle and got me a Strawberry Oreo shake. I know it sounds a little different, maybe gross..but it couldn't be more far from! Delicious strawberry sweetness with the richness of Oreo cookie crumbles and cream.

Ice cold goodness #62

#61's

Have I mentioned how much I love my job? I love where I work because with "walk-in" customers, you really never know what you're going to get. One of my semi-regulars popped in today for a hair cut. Brandon is one of my favorites, because he really challenges me. I went through a phase, where I was obsessed with buzzing "designs" in mens haircuts - okay some women too, including myself! ;)  But most of my "regular" guys that let me practice on them, aren't available for me anymore. One is growing his hair long and the other got fired from Wal-Mart, so he doesn't come in anymore. And Joe's hair is in a mullet.  :(

Well Brandon came in with an idea in mind. He brought his Salt Lake Bees cap that has this "SL" symbol on the front:

I've never done this symbol before, but I'm always up for a challenge. His hair is VERY blonde, so its a little hard to see . I thought it turned out okay. 

#61's - My daily challenge

 Above - this is with my cell phone's flash. It helped it show up a little more

Below - without the flash

#60

I'm losing a stylist.

Seriously I'm broken hearted. I have been so blessed with such a wonderful team and losing a member is painful. Everyone gets along, everyone bends over backwards for each other - it just works. Now I'm losing one and I have to train another. Ugh. Worst part of my job. Plus this stylist used to be MY manager. I took over for her when she quit and then she called me a year or so later looking for a stylist job. I hired her in a heartbeat. Who wouldn't re-hire a stylist with management qualities? Hello, perfect package!!! And now she's leaving me. Oh well, she's left the company and come back about 6 times now in a span of over 10 years. Its a possibility she might be back!! ;)  I just hope I'm the first one she calls!

#60 - The simple gesture of appreciative expression. It took her moments to write, but it was priceless to me. I'll miss you Em!